Policy

Citizens Until 10PM

Had Begum Rokeya been alive to see the name “Oborodhbasini”, the platform through which female students are challenging these restrictions, perhaps she would have recognized the continuity before she noticed the novelty.

When a War Thousands of Miles Away Reaches the Kitchen Table

Bangladesh cannot end the war in the Middle East. Nor can it prevent the next pandemic, commodity shock or geo-political disruption. What it can do is decide how exposed its citizens will be when the next shock arrives.

Two Mandates, One Democracy

A democracy cannot ask citizens to trust the ballot while treating one of their ballots as optional. The government received its mandate from the people. The July Charter received its mandate from the people as well. Both must be honored.

We're Missing the Key Point About the Pink Buses

Giving a woman a corner of the bus and giving her control of the direction of the entire bus are not the same politics. Today her passengers may be women. Tomorrow everyone may be on board.

The First Doppler Poll: What the Numbers Tell Us and What They Do Not

The first Doppler poll suggests that the government's political position remains reasonably strong. Two different national surveys, conducted through different methodologies, place government approval at almost the same level. That convergence deserves recognition.

When the Army Enters the Classroom

When an institution that possesses the legitimate instruments of force also begins accumulating authority over the definition of morality, citizenship and national identity, the balance can become fragile.

The Unfinished Promise of Police Reform

Abu Sayed's killing -- and the statement later made by the police officer convicted of his murder -- did not simply expose failures in the conduct of individual officers. Together, they illuminated deeper structural weaknesses within policing and compelled the nation to confront fundamental questions about accountability, professionalism, and the relationship between the police and the public.

Let's Get Real on Taxes

Taxation is not simply about extracting more money from society. It is about defining the relationship between the state and its citizens. Countries do not become middle-income merely because they collect more taxes. They succeed when taxation strengthens the social contract rather than weakens it.

The Doctor on the Motorbike

The image of Aall remains striking precisely because he was an outlier. He did not speak the language of diplomatic balance. He spoke about calories, mortality and responsibility. He insisted that humanitarian action was not morally neutral when people were dying.

Diplomacy Afresh: H.E. Dinesh Trivedi

It is prudent for the Indian government to appoint H.E. Dinesh Trivedi, a former politician, as the High Commissioner to Bangladesh at a time when relations between the two countries are experiencing turbulence over the ouster of the last government. 

The Case of the Garo Community

Bangladesh cannot claim to protect cultural diversity while systematically demolishing the indigenous land system that supports that culture.

Why the Dollar Remains Inevitable

Stability is not achieved through currency redesign, but through effective liquidity coordination and risk management within the existing global monetary framework.

The Missing Number in the Budget

The first BNP budget allocates billions for growth, infrastructure, and social protection. But its success will ultimately be judged by whether it creates employment for Bangladesh's growing workforce.

The Shroud of Sexism over Parliament

A parliament is not a place to demean women for their Islamic attire; its primary mandate is to protect and uphold the rights of every citizen. Failing to do so violates the democratic principles that the very institution was built to safeguard.

The One Percent Imperative

Why Bangladesh's failure is architectural, and what its remedy actually requires

The Green Blueprint

Let us move beyond the annual rhetoric of a single calendar day. Let us embed environmental resilience into the DNA of our national growth, ensuring a safe, prosperous, and liveable homeland for generations to come.